Bristol City eye Portsmouth boss and ex-Nottingham Forest manager | OneFootball

Bristol City's managerial shortlist is growing beyond Steven Gerrard, with two new names added to the mix including a key figure at Portsmouth...

Bristol City are eyeing a long-term successor to Gerhard Struber this summer, with Steven Gerrard now joined by two other names in their search to replace Roy Hodgson at the end of his seven games in charge.

Roy Hodgson has won two, drawn two, and lost two in charge of Bristol City, but his time at the club will come to an end after Saturday's clash with Stoke City. Hodgson's Bristol City return broke records but it will be a short-lived affair.

After finishing sixth last season, Bristol City can only finish as high as 11th on the final day of the season. They can also finish as low as 16th, sitting 13th currently. It's certainly been an underwhelming campaign for a side aiming to finally make it into the Premier League.

They need direction and long-term ambition, having now been a Championship side for 11 seasons. Next year will be their 12th since winning League One in 2015. However, Steve Landsdown and co. have set the club up well to potentially break through the glass ceiling and make it to the top flight.

Two new names join Bristol City's managerial shortlist

Where they turn next will be key to that and FLW exclusively revealed Russell Martin is one potential option being considered already, while Steven Gerrard has also been linked with the Bristol City vacancy in recent days as well.

Gerrard looks set to take over from Scott Parker at Burnley, meaning Bristol City may have to look elsewhere. A pair of options have since emerged, including a name linked with the vacancy previously.

Alex Crook of talkSPORT has revealed Bristol City are showing fresh interest in Portsmouth boss John Mousinho. He states that it is a test for the Eisners in the wake of his recent comments about spending bigger to avoid an annual struggle with relegation.

Perhaps a bigger budget at Ashton Gate could tempt him away, but there are other names Bristol City are keen on. As Crook adds that former Leicester City, Swansea City, and Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is another name mentioned regarding the vacancy.

Steve Cooper might be more viable than John Mousinho for Bristol City

Out of the two options, Cooper looks the right fit for Bristol City because he combines strong man-management with a clear tactical identity that has proven to get teams promoted. He has a proven track record and is ideal for a club with solid foundations already in place at Ashton Gate.

He also has a proven record of developing young players as well, which aligns with Bristol City’s long-term approach. But most crucially, Cooper has experience of building competitive Championship sides capable of sustaining promotion pushes, rather than short-term bursts.

That blend of continuity and ambition makes him well-suited to taking the next step. The other issue is regarding attainability, though. Cooper also appears to be far more attainable than Mousinho at present.

While Mousinho is highly regarded, prising him from Portsmouth would be difficult given his current project. By contrast, securing Cooper from Brondby IF is a more realistic proposition. Compensation would be far easier to pay to a club like that than a Championship rival. They need to save their transfer budget for signings.